A last-second U-turn over a substitution was the catalyst for Maidstone’s injury-time fightback at Havant.

Trailing 2-0 with eight minutes left, the Stones were about to replace George Porter with Ibrahim Olutade.

But manager Hakan Hayrettin had a change of heart, withdrawing Charlie Seaman instead, and it was Porter who launched Maidstone’s fightback with a brilliant strike in the second minute of added time.

The equaliser followed three minutes later with defender Joe Ellul’s header as Maidstone left Westleigh Park with a point.

Hayrettin said: “We spoke about taking George off and I’ve got the utmost respect for Jim Stannard (goalkeeper coach) and Terry Harris (assistant manager).

“I thought, ‘let’s get George off, because he hasn’t played a lot of football’ and then something inside me just said, ‘leave him on’.

“Just as we were going to make the substitution, I said, ‘no, Charlie’s coming off instead’ and I got it right.

“Sometimes I get it wrong but I got this one right and George came up with an exceptional goal.

“We pushed and pushed and got what we deserved with a great header from Joe. I wish we’d had him here last season.”

Maidstone started well but Hayrettin felt they lost their way after Justin Amaluzor hit the post with a penalty.

The Hawks opened up a 2-0 lead and would have gone further ahead but for a goalline intervention from left-back Raphe Brown.

Maidstone went on to boss the second half and denied Havant victory in the first game on their new 3G pitch.

“I think we were the better team up until we missed the penalty and then I think Havant were better than us,” said Hayrettin.

“We were sloppy, we didn’t do things right.

“We spoke about the way they were going to play, and that’s exactly how they did play, but we didn’t penetrate to stop it and it was sloppy by us and we could have been 3-0 down.

“We regrouped at half-time, we came back and I thought we were the better team.

"We camped in their half for the whole of the second half and if the game had carried on for another five minutes we’d have won it.”

The fightback reinforced Hayrettin’s confidence in the character of his squad.

He added: “I’m talking openly here now to our supporters. The personality and the character we have here now is different. I think the mindset is different.

“The mindset from me is that I can’t lose. We can’t lose with this group of players.

“I know we are going to lose games but that’s what I’ve got to make them believe and I think we drove on there in the second half and we could have won it.

“We were much better than them in the second half, much better.

“Everyone says Havant are going to be up there.

“If I were a betting man I’d look at Maidstone and if we can keep a healthy squad and do the right things, who knows?

“I don’t think we’re going to be fazed by many things. If we can keep everyone fit and focused, I think we’ll have a good season.”

• Match report Havant 2-2 Maidstone

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